Mikati thanks Iraq for extending fuel supply treaty

Mikati thanks Iraq for extending fuel supply treaty

Caretaker Prime Minister and PM-designate Najib Mikati on Thursday announced that the Iraqi government has agreed to a request from him for extending the supply of Lebanon with fuel for another year with the same terms and conditions.

The fuel will go to the cash-strapped national electricity company Electricite du Liban (EDL) to power some of its plants.

In a statement issued by his office, Mikati thanked the Iraqi government and his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Kadhemi in person for their “concern about Lebanon and supporting it to overcome the difficult circumstances it is going through.”

“Relations between Lebanon and Iraq will remain firm as they have been throughout history and brotherly cooperation between the two countries will continue,” Mikati added.

Lebanese Energy Ministry sources had warned that “the Iraqi fuel reserves will expire by the end of August,” cautioning that “Lebanon might be plunged into total darkness.”